Collapsible dispensing container



Nov. 2, 1965 T. L. LAKER COLLAPSIBLE DISPENSING CONTAINER Filed Jan. 2. 1964 FIG-2 FIG. 5

FIG-4 R O T N E V m THOMAS L LAKER FIG-5 j/ ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,215,319 COLLAPSIBLE DISPENSING CONTAINER Thomas L. Laker, 6815 Bantry Ave., Cincinnati, Ohio Filed Jan. 2, 1964, Ser. No. 334,996 9 Claims. (Cl. 222213) This invention relates to an improved collapsible dispensing tube or the like as well as to improved parts for such-a dispensing tube or the like.

It is well known that various types of materials have been utilized to form a collapsible tube for dispensing toothpaste, shaving cream, cosmetics, edible products, etc., as well as products for commercial and industrial use.

Certain products are particularly suitable for being dispensed from such a collapsible tube when the collapsible tube is formed of a plastic material because not only is the plastic material not corroded by the product, but also the plastic material provides an attractive container for the desired product.

However, it is also well known that a plastic collapsible tube has a rebound characteristic wherein once the tube is squeezed to partially dispense the product out through the opened end thereof, the plastic tube tends to rebound back to its original unsqueezed condition whereby the same tends to draw air into the container and form adverse air pockets in the product thereof whereby it is particularly diflicult to dispense the entire product from the plastic collapsible container.

However, according to the teachings of this invention, an improved plastic collapsible dispensing tube or container is provided wherein means are provided for preventing the aforementioned adverse air pockets in the dispensing container.

, In particular, the dispensing container of this invention comprises a tubular configuration having two separate pockets formed therein and separated by a resilient wall, one of the pockets containing air While the other pocket contains the product to be dispensed from the dispensing container. 1

In this manner, when the container is squeezed to dispense the product out of the product-containing pocket thereof, the tendency for the air to be drawn into the product-containing pocket is prevented by air filling the air-containing pocket thereof whereby all of the product can be readily dispensed from the container of this invention even thoughthe same is formed of plastic material or the like which has a natural rebound characteristic.

Further, the dispensing container of this invention has a unique closure means for the same not provided by prior known dispensing containers.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide an improved dispensing container having one or more of the novel features set forth above or hereinafter shown or described.

Another objectof this invention is to provide improved closure means for such a dispensing container or the like.

Other objects, uses and advantages of this invention are apparent from a reading of this description which proceeds with reference to the accompanying drawings forming a part thereof and wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view illustrating the improved dispensing container of this invention.

FIGURE 2 is an axial cross-sectional view of the dispensing container illustrated in FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is .a fragmentary cross-sectional view similar to FIGURE 2 and illustrates the dispensing container in its opened position.

FIGURE 4 is a view similar to FIGURE 3 and illustainer wall 13 is formed in the interior of the compart 3,215,319 Patented Nov. 2, 1965 trates the method of dispensing the product from the dispensing container of this invention.

FIGURE 5 is a view similar to FIGURE 4 and illus trates the container in a substantially empty condition.

While the various features of this invention are hereinafter described and illustrated as being particularly adaptable for dispensing products by the ultimate consumer, it is to be understood that the various features of this invention can be utilized singly or in any combination thereof to provide the dispensing containers for other uses as desired.

Therefore, this invention is not to be limited to only the embodiment illustrated in the drawings, because the drawings are merely utilized to illustrate one of the wide I variety of uses of this invention.

Referring now to FIGURES l and 2, the improved dispensing container of this invention is generally indicated by the reference numeral 10 and comprises a gen erally tubular configuration having a closed end 11 and a dispensing end 12, the container 10 being formed of suitable plastic material or the like which normally has the aforementioned rebound characteristic.

However, it is to be understood that the various features of this invention can be utilized with containers formed of other materials as desired.

As illustrated in FIGURE 2, the dispensing container 10 of this invention comprises an outer peripheral wall 13 having the interior thereof divided into two chambers 14 and 15 by a flexible wall 16 formed of plastic material or any other suitable flexible material.

The compartment 14 of the container 10 is interconnected to the exterior of the container 10 by a passage means 17. However, a flexible, leaf-type valve 18 is provided inside the compartment 14 so that when the container 10 is squeezed in the manner illustrated in FIG- URE 4, the air tending to be squeezed out of the compartment 14 through the opening 17 is prevented by the valve member 18 closing against the opening 17 in the manner illustrated in FIGURE 4.

However, when the tube is released from its squeezed condition, the tendency for the wall 13 to return to its normal configuration illustrated in FIGURE 2 causes the air to be drawn into the compartment 14 through the one-way valve means 18 at the opening 17 for a purpose hereinafter described.

As illustrated in FIGURES 3 and 4, the compartment or chamber 15 of the container 10 is interconnected to the exterior of the container 10 by a passage means 19.

However, an enlarged integral portion 20 .of the conment 15 and has a ball-like projection 21 extending outwardly from a flat wall 22 thereof, the ball 21 adapted to be press-fitted into the substantially frusto-conical opening 19 in the front wall 12 of the container 10 in the manner illustrated in FIGURE 2 to seal closed the opening 19 and prevent the product disposed in the chamber 15 from being exposed to the atmosphere.

The end wall 12 of the container 10 is formed in a substantially circular manner as illustrated in FIGURE 1 and has a central thickened portion 23 which the ultimate consumer presses downwardly on from the position illustrated in FIGURE 3 to the position illustrated in FIGURE 2 to cause the ball-like member 21 to close the opening 19 as illustrated in FIGURE 2, the enlarged portion 20 of the container 10 being joined to the front With the product 25 filling the chamber 15 of the container 10 in the manner illustrated in FIGURE 2, the ultimate consumer can dispense the desired quantity of the product 25 by merely grasping the tube 10 in the conventional manner and pressing downwardly on the same in the manner illustrated in FIGURE 4.

Since the chamber 15 thereof is being compressed, the air in the chamber 14 closes the valve member 18 against the opening 17 so that the air in the chamber 14 cannot escape therefrom.

Thus, upon squeezing of the tube in the manner illustrated in FIGURE 4, the pressure on the outer upper wall 13 thereof is transmitted to the flexible wall 16 dividing the chambers 14 and 15 to place pressure on the product 25 disposed in the chamber 15. This pressure on the product 25 disposed in the chamber 15 forces the end wall 12 outwardly in the manner illustrated in FIGURE 4 to open the passage 19 therein so that the I product 25 can be exuded out through the opening 19.

' After the desired quantity of the product has been dispensed through the opening 19 in the manner illustrated in FIGURE 4, the ultimate consumer releases the container 10 whereby the wall 13 tends to rebound to its unsqueezed condition. However, since the flexible wall 16 divides the chambers 14 and 15 from each other, air is not drawn in through the opening 19 of the front wall 12 of the container 10 but is drawn through the one-way valve means 18 at the passage means 17 of the front wall 12 of the container 10 to fill the compartment 14 with a greater amount of air than the amount of air the tube contained before the same was squeezed to replace the quantity of product 25 which had been dispensed from the chamber 15 in the above manner.

Thus, it can be seen that as the container is continuously squeezed in the manner illustrated in FIGURE 4, the wall 16 causes the product 25 to be exuded out through the opening 19 while the interior of the container 13 is filled by air only entering the chamber 14 thereof and not the chamber 15 thereof whereby the entire product 25 can be dispensed out of the container 10 in the manner illustrated in FIGURE without having adverse air pockets forming in the product-containing chamber 15 in the manner of the prior known dispensing container.

After the ultimate consumer has exuded the desired quantity of product out through the opening 19 and desires to reclose the container 10, the ultimate consumer merely pushes downwardly on the enlargement 23 of the front wall 12 to cause the same to assume the position illustrated in FIGURE 2 whereby the ball-like projection 21 of the enlargement 20 is received in the opening 19 to seal close the opening 19 in the manner previously described.

Therefore, it can be seen that not only does this in vention provide an improved collapsible dispensing container, but also this invention provides improved parts for such a dispensing container or the like.

While the form of the invention now preferred has been disclosed as required by the statutes, other forms may be used, all coming within the scope of the claims which follow.

What is claimed is:

1. A collapsible dispensing container having a flexible wall defining a compartment inside said container, flexible means disposed in said compartment and dividing the same into two chambers, one of said chambers containing air and the other of said chambers containing a product, said wall having a first passage means leading to said one chamber and having a second passage means leading to said other chamber, first valve means for said first passage means, and second valve means for said second passage means, said first valve means trapping air in said one chamber when said container is squeezed whereby the product in said other chamber can be exuded out through said second passage means, said first valve means permitting air to enter said one chamber to replace the exuded product when said container is released whereby the rebound of said flexible wall will not draw air into said other chamber.

2. A collapsible dispensing container as set forth in claim 1 wherein said second valve means is opened when said container is squeezed.

3. A collapsible dispensing container as set forth in claim 1 wherein said second valve means comprises a ball like member receivable in said second passage means to close the same.

4. A collapsible dispensing container having a flexible wall defining a compartment inside said container, .flexible means disposed in said compartment and dividing the same into two chambers, one of said chambers containing air and the other of said chambers containing a product, said wall having a first passage means leading to said one chamber and having a second passage means leading to said other chamber, and valve means for said first passage means to trap the air in said one chamber when said container is squeezed whereby the product in said other chamber can be exuded out through said second passage means, said valve means permitting air to enter said one chamber to replace the exuded product when said container is released whereby the rebound of said flexible wall will not draw air into said other chamber and second valve means for said second passage.

5. A collapsible dispensing container as set forth in claim 4 wherein said valve means comprises a leaf-type valve member.

6. A collapsible dispensing container as set forth in claim 4 wherein said flexible wall includes a circular por tion carrying said passage means, said circular portion being pressed inwardly to close said second passage by said second valve means.

7. A collapsible dispensing container having a flexible wall surrounding the same and housing a product inside said container, means forming a plurality of chambers in said container, said wall having a passage means through which said product can exude when said container is squeezed, and a ball-like member inside said container for closing said passage means when said flexible wall is moved toward said ball-like member in the proper direction.

8. A collapsible dispensing container as set forth in claim 7 wherein said ball-like member is carried on an enlargement in said container.

9. A collapsible dispensing container as set forth in claim 8 wherein said enlargement has a flat surface which is engaged by said flexible wall when said ball-like member is received in said passage means.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 886,984 5/08 Jopling 222-212 X 1,925,926 9/33 Kunkel 222-494 2,715,980 8/55 Frick 222-183 2,761,833 9/56 Ward 222-212 X 2,777,612 1/57 Bensen 222-209 3,081,006 3/63 Land 222-212 3,118,572 1/64 Harding 222-209 X RAPHAEL M. LUPO, Primary Examiner. LOUIS J. DEMBO, Examiner. 

1. A COLLAPSIBLE DISPENSING CONTAINER HAVING A FLEXIBLE WALL DEFINING A COMPARTMENT INSIDE SAID CONTAINER, FLEXIBLE MEANS DISPOSED IN SAID COMPARTMENT AND DIVIDING THE SAME INTO TWO CHAMBERS, ONE OF SAID CHAMBERS CONTAINING AIR AND THE OTHER OF SAID CHAMBERS CONTAINING A PRODUCT, SAID WALL HAVING A FIRST PASSAGE MEANS LEADING TO SAID ONE CHAMBER AND HAVING A SECOND PASSAGE MEANS LEADING TO SAID OTHER CHAMBE, FIRST VALVE MEANS FOR SAID FIRST PASSAGE MEANS, AND SECOND VALVE MEANS FOR SAID SECOND PASSAGE MEANS, SAID FIRST VALVE MEANS TRAPPING AIR IN SAID ONE CHAMBER WHEN SAID CONTAINER IS SQUEEZED WHEREBY THE PRODUCT IN SAID OTHER CHAMBER CAN BE EXUDED OUT THROUGH SAID SECOND PASSAGE MEANS, SAID FIRST VALVE MEANS PERMITTING AIR TO ENTER SAID ONE CHAMBER TO REPLACE THE EXUDED PRODUCT WHEN SAID CONTAINER IS RELEASED WHEREBY THE REBOUND OF SAID FLEXIBLE WALL WILL NOT DRAW AIR INTO SAID OTHER CHAMBER. 